Guard for tomato lugs



June 19, 1934. w, TREw 1,963,926

GUARD FOR TOMATO LUGS Filed Jan. 30, 1934 Patented June 19, 1934 UNITED STA GUARfi FOR TOMATO LUGS James W Trew, Gettysburg,- Pa., assignor to Rice,

Trew & Rice Co. Inc., Biglerville, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application January 30,

6 Claims.

This invention relates to guards for tomato lugs and the invention has for an object to provide a guard adapted to be applied to 2. lug in a manner to substantially close the space between a side wall of the lug and the applied lid to assure effective protection for the upper or facing layer of tomatoes or the like.

It is the general practice to ship tomato lugs to the packers in a knocked down form, the lugs being assembled by the packers. In this assembling a certain percentage of the sides of the lugs are placed too high with respect to the end walls or more particularly the cleats carried by the upper edges of said end walls thus not providing sufiicient space for a protecting guard to slide between a side wall and the end cleats at each end of the lug. The present invention has as an object to provide a guard with means to permit a guard to readily slide into place with equal facility on lugs that are assembled irregularly as well as those lugs that are assembled correctly.

The invention consists in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts of my improved guard for tomato lugs whereby certain important advantages are attained and the device rendered simpler, less expensive and otherwise more convenient and advantageous for use, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

The novel features of my invention will hereinafter be definitely claimed.

In order that my invention may be the better understood, I will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure l is a view in top plan of a guard constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention and also showing the guard resting upon a lug to which it is to be applied;

Figure 2 is a view in top plan showing the guard in applied position, a portion of the lug being broken away;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view partly in elevation and partly in vertical section showing the guard applied to a lug to which a side wall has been irregularly assembled;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view in plan of an end portion of a guard constructed in accordance with another embodiment of the invention.

As illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3, the guard comprises an initially fiat elongated band B disposed on a desired curvature from end to end, the outer edge a of the band being disposed on an arc to closely approach the general curvature of a lid or cover when applied to the lug L.

The lug L is of a conventional type employed in connection with the packing of tomatoes and kindred fruit wherein the end walls 1 have secured along the upper edges the cleats 2 each of 1934, Serial No. 709,017

which extends a slight distance inwardly of the lug whereby is provided an underlying shoulder 3.

The extremities of the band B carry the extensions 4 which extend from the outer marginal edge of the band for a considerable distance transversely across the band and at a desired point intermediate its ends each of the exten-v sions 4 is divided by a cut 5 which extends entirelyacross the'extension 4 and into the band B proper. This cut 5 divides the extension 4 into what may be termed a lower flap 4.

In the embodiment of the invention as illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3-the cut 5 is in the form or nature of a relatively narrow V-shaped notch having its apex inwardly disposed while in the embodiment of the invention as illustrated in Figure 4 the cut 5' disposed across the flap l and into the band B proper constitutes a slit.

The lower outer marginal portion of each ofthe flaps 4' is disposed on an inward curvature to the lower end of the flap or more particularlyto the lower orinner end of the score line 6 which separates the flap 4' from the body proper of the band B.

Initially the flaps 4 are coplanar with the band B proper and the end edges b of the band B inwardly or below thelflaps 4 are inwardly, inclined to the inner margin of the band Ban at points inwardly of the score lines 6. 1

The distance between the score lines 6 of the band B is substantially equal to the distance between the opposed faces of the end walls 1 of the lug L so that when the band B is in applied or working position as particularly illustrated in Figures 2 and 3 the flaps 4 will be inwardly disposed with respect to the lug. Each of the flaps i will also have close contact with the inner face of the adjacent end wall 1 and will also be in a position to engage under the shoulder 3 of said end wall so that accidental outward displacemen of the guard B is eifectively prevented.

The adjacent upper portion of the extension 4 when the band or guard is applied overlies the adjacent end of a cleat'2 in position to engage the upper edge of the adjacent side wall 7 of the lugto prevent undue downward movement of the band B within the lug L when such limitation is desired, or to be received within an upwardly packers in knocked down form and in the assem-' bling of the lugs it often occurs that the sides 7 are improperly or incorrectly placed resulting in the side walls being too high with respect to the shoulders 3 as is illustrated in Figure 3 of the accompanying drawing. By having the cuts 5 flexure of such flaps.

in the band B proper, this disadvantage is readily overcome as such cuts readily allow the flaps 4' to engage beneath the shoulders 3 unless, of course, the side walls 7 should be unduly raised with respect to the end walls of the lug.

A cut in the form of a notch in accordance with its width compensates for a certain amount of the irregularity in the placement of a side wall but when this is insuflicient the marginal portion of the extension 4 defining the upper edge of the cut 5 will readily flex. To accomplish this desirable result it has been clearly established in practice that the cut 5' of necessity must extend into the body of the band B a material distance with respect to the score line 6 separating each of the flaps 4' from the band.

- It is believed to be clearly understood that when the band B or B is applied the flaps 4' or 4 will be flexed inwardly into proper position and that the inclined edges b will facilitate the initial insertion of the guard within a lug. It is also believed to be apparent that the particular forma-- tion of the inner or lower portion of each of the flaps 4' or 4 will materially facilitate the desired It is also to be particularly noted that the cleats 2 do not overlie the upper margin of either of the side walls '7 of the lug butterminatefl substantially flush with the vertical-edges of the end walls 1.

From the foregoing description it is thought to be obvious that a guard for a tomato lug constructed in accordance with my invention is particularly well adapted for use by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled and operated, and it will also be obvious that my invention is susceptible of some change and modification without departing from the principles and spirit thereof and for this reason I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to theprecise arrangement and formation of'the several parts herein shown in carrying out my inventionin practice except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim: 1. As a new article of manufacture, a guard comprising a band adapted to be placed within a container wherein the end walls of the container at their upper portions have shoulders extending Y inwardly of the container, said band being of of the extensions below the cut flexing inwardly sufficient width to bridge the space between an upper edge of a side wall of the container andv an applied lid, said band being provided at its ends with extensions, said extensions having a', cut extending therethrough and a material dis tance within the band proper, the portion of each to engage below a shoulder of an end wall, the

portion of each extension above the cut lapping a vertical edge of an end wall.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a guard comprising a band adapted to be placed within a cut extending therethrough and a material dis tance within the band proper, the portion of each of the extensions below the cut flexing inwardly to" engage-below a shoulder of an end wall, the portion of each extension abovethe out lapping a vertical edge of an end wall, the lower portion of each extension being separated from the band along a weakened line to facilitate desired flexing.

3. As a new, article of manufacture, a guard comprising a band adapted to be placed within a container wherein the end walls of the container at their upper portions have shoulders extending inwardly of the container, said band being of sumcient width to bridge the space between an upper edge of a side wall of the container and an applied lid, said band being provided at its ends with extensions, said extensions having a cut extending therethrough and a material distance within the band proper, the portion of each of the extensions below the cut flexing inwardly to engage below a shoulder of an end wall, the portion of each extension above the cut lap ping a vertical edge of an end wall, each of said cuts comprising a notch.

4. As a new article of manufacture, a guard comprising a band adapted to be placed within a container wherein the end walls of the container at their upper portions have shoulders extending inwardly of the container, said band being of suificient width to bridge the space between an upper edge of a side wall of the container and an applied lid, said band being provided at its ends with extensions, said extensions having a cut extending therethrough and a material distance within the band proper, the portion of each of the extensions below the cut flexing in-j wardly to engage below a shoulder of an end wall, the portion of each extension above the cut lapping a vertical edge of an end wall, each of said cuts comprising a notch substantially V-shaped in form with its apex inwardly disposed.

5. As a new article of manufacture, a guard comprising a band adapted to be placed within a container wherein the end walls of the container at their upper portions have shoulders extending inwardly of the container, said band being of sufficient width to bridge the space between an upper edge of a side wall of the container and an applied lid, said band being provided at its ends with extensions, said extensions having a cut extending therethrough and a material distance within the band proper, the portion of each of the extensions below thecut flexing inwardly to engage below a shoulder of an end wall, the portion of each extension above the cut lapping a vertical edge of an end wall, each of said cuts constituting a slit.

.6. As a new article of manufacture, a guard comprising a band adapted to be placed within a container having its end walls extending above the side walls, said band being of suiiicient width to bridge the space between an upper edge of a side wall of the container and an applied lid, said band being provided at its ends and at' the topwith extensions to lap side edge portions of the end walls above the side wall, the lower edge of each of the extensions being continued by a cut extending a material distance within the band proper, said cut allowing the guard to compensate for any irregularity in the assembly of the side wall of the container.

JAMES W. TREW. 

